Spouting structure for liquid container and bag-in-box container

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 2003-301062 filed in Japan on Aug. 26, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a spouting structure for a liquid container, such as a bag included in a bag-in-box container, and a bag-in-box container.

2. Description of the Related Art

A bag-in-box container has a bag formed from a plastic film, and a corrugated fiberboard carton containing the bag. Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, a bag <b>100</b> for a bag-in-box container has a flat bag body <b>101</b> formed from a laminated film produced by laminating an oriented nylon film and a polyethylene film, and a spouting structure <b>102</b> attached to one of the walls of the bag body <b>101</b>. The bag <b>100</b> of this bag-in-box container is filled with a liquid product, such as mineral water or a fruit beverage, under an aseptic condition to store the liquid product or to transport the liquid product to a desired place.

As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, the spouting structure <b>102</b> of the bag <b>100</b> of the bag-in-box container has a spout <b>106</b> including a mouthpiece <b>104</b> provided in its outer side surface with an external thread <b>103</b> and a flange <b>105</b> at its inner end. The external thread <b>103</b> and the flange <b>105</b> are formed integrally with the mouthpiece <b>104</b>. A first sealing member <b>107</b> is attached to the outer end of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> so as to seal the outer opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> completely, and a second sealing member <b>108</b> is attached to the lower surface of the flange <b>105</b> so as to seal the inner opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> partially. The bag <b>100</b> thus formed is irradiated with gamma rays for sterilization.

When filling a liquid product, such as a fruit beverage, into the bag <b>100</b>, the first sealing member <b>107</b> completely sealing the outer opening formed in the mouthpiece <b>104</b> of the spout <b>106</b> is broken, a filling nozzle is connected to the spout <b>106</b>, and the liquid product is poured from the filling nozzle through the outer opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> and the inner opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> partially sealed by the second sealing member <b>108</b> into the bag <b>100</b>. After the bag <b>100</b> has been filled with a predetermined quantity of the liquid product, the filling nozzle is disconnected from the mouthpiece <b>104</b>, and the second sealing member <b>108</b> partially sealing the inner opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> is attached by a sealing means to the flange <b>105</b> to seal the inner opening completely.

The spout <b>106</b> of the spouting structure <b>102</b> attached to the bag <b>100</b> of this bag-in-box container has the outer opening completely sealed by the first sealing member <b>107</b>, and the inner opening partially sealed by the second sealing member <b>108</b>. The first sealing member <b>107</b> is broken to power the liquid product into the bag <b>100</b>. The second sealing member <b>108</b> is attached to the flange <b>105</b> by the sealing means so as to seal the inner opening of the mouthpiece <b>104</b> completely after the bag <b>100</b> has been filled with the predetermined quantity of the liquid product. Thus the liquid product cannot easily be filled into the bag <b>100</b> and the bag <b>100</b> cannot be reused. It is difficult to attach the second sealing member <b>108</b> satisfactorily to the lower surface of the flange <b>105</b> to seal the inner opening because the lower surface of the flange <b>105</b> is wet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spout structure for a liquid container included in a bag-in-box container facilitating work for filling a liquid into the liquid container and makes it possible to reuse the liquid container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bag-in-box container including a liquid container provided with the foregoing spouting structure.

A spouting structure in a first aspect of the present invention for a liquid container includes: a spout attached to the liquid container, having a mouthpiece provide with an external thread in its outer side surface, and a flange formed integrally with the mouthpiece at the lower end of the latter; a cap having a top wall, a cylindrical skirt extending downward from the circumference of the top wall and provided with an internal thread mating with the external thread of the mouthpiece, and a cylindrical protrusion protruding downward from a central part of the top wall, having a cylindrical bore opening in the top wall and a bottom wall provided with an opening, and fitted in the mouthpiece of the spout; and a round plate provided with at least one opening in its peripheral part, fitted in the cylindrical bore of the cylindrical protrusion so as to be axially movable, and having a plugging part formed in a central area of a lower surface thereof and capable of being plugged closely in the opening formed in the bottom wall of the cylindrical protrusion of the cap.

A liquid product can be filled through the opening formed in the bottom wall of the cylindrical protrusion of the cap screwed on the spout. The round plate is moved toward the bottom wall of the cylindrical protrusion of the cap to plug the plugging part in the opening formed in the bottom wall of the cylindrical protrusion of the cap to seal the liquid container after the liquid container has been filled with the liquid product poured through a filling nozzle into the liquid container. Thus the liquid container can be easily filled with the liquid product by a series of simple operations.

The bag-in-box container includes a bag provided with the spouting structure according to the present invention, and a box containing the bag.

The spouting structure of the present invention for a liquid container includes the spout attached to the liquid container, having a mouthpiece provide with an external thread in its outer side surface, the cap having the cylindrical protrusion protruding downward from the central part of the top wall, having the cylindrical bore opening in the top wall and the bottom wall provided with the opening, and fitted in the mouthpiece of the spout, and the round plate provided with at least one opening in its peripheral part, fitted in the cylindrical bore of the cylindrical protrusion so as to be axially movable, and having the plugging part formed in the central area of the lower surface thereof and capable of being plugged closely in the opening formed in the bottom wall of the cylindrical protrusion of the cap. Thus the liquid container can be filled with the liquid product under an aseptic condition without removing the cap from the spout, and the spout can be sealed at the last stage of the filling operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view of a spouting structure in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention for a liquid container;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a top plan view of the spouting structure shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a sectional view taken on the line A—A in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a sectional view of the spouting structure shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> in a sealing state;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a perspective view of a bag included in a conventional bag-in-box container;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is a sectional view of a spouting structure attached to the bag shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>; and

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is a sectional of the spouting structure shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> in a sealing state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a spouting structure <b>1</b> in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention for a liquid container includes a spout <b>3</b> bonded to a liquid container <b>2</b>, such as a bag included in a bag-in-box container, and a cap <b>4</b> screwed on the spout <b>3</b>. The spout <b>3</b> and the cap <b>4</b> are formed of a polyolefin resin. The liquid container <b>2</b> is formed from a laminated film produced by laminating an oriented nylon film, a polyethylene film and a low-density polyethylene film by a conventional forming method.

Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the spout <b>3</b> has a mouthpiece <b>6</b> provided with an external thread <b>5</b> in its outer side surface, and a flange <b>7</b> formed integrally with the mouthpiece <b>6</b>. The flange <b>7</b> is placed inside the liquid container <b>2</b> with its upper surface in contact with the liquid container <b>2</b>. The flange <b>7</b> is bonded to the inner surface of the liquid container by an ordinary bonding means to connect the spout <b>3</b> to the liquid container <b>2</b>.

As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the cap <b>4</b> has a top wall <b>8</b>, a cylindrical skirt <b>9</b> extending downward from the outer circumference of the top wall <b>8</b>, and a cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> protruding from a central part of the top wall <b>8</b>. The cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> has an open upper end and a bottom wall <b>11</b> provided with an opening <b>12</b>. The cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> is formed in an outside diameter such that the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> can be fitted in the mouthpiece <b>6</b> of the spout <b>3</b>. A round plate <b>13</b> is fitted in the bore of the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> so as to be axially movable.

Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>, the round plate <b>13</b> has a plugging part <b>15</b> formed in a central area of the lower surface thereof and capable of being closely plugged in the opening <b>12</b> of the bottom wall <b>11</b> of the cap <b>4</b>. The round plate <b>13</b> is provided with four curved openings <b>14</b> having the shape of a circular arc and arranged on a circle. The plugging part has the shape of a thin cylinder. The round plate <b>13</b> can be closely fitted in a lower part of the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b>. The round plate <b>13</b> can be immovably held at a closing position by closely plugging the plugging part <b>15</b> in the opening <b>12</b>. The axial length, namely, the vertical dimension as viewed in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, of the opening <b>12</b> is approximately equal to the thickness of the plugging part <b>15</b>. When the plugging part <b>15</b> is plugged closely in the opening <b>12</b> to close the opening <b>12</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, the lower end surface of the plugging part <b>15</b> is substantially flush with the lower surface of the bottom wall <b>11</b>. Since the lower end surface of the plugging part <b>15</b> is substantially flush with the lower surface of the bottom wall <b>11</b>, dirt is hardly able to remain on the lower end surfaces of the plugging part <b>15</b> and the bottom wall <b>11</b>.

The openings <b>14</b> of the round plate <b>13</b> are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the round plate <b>13</b>. The openings <b>14</b> have the shape of an arc of a circle having its center at the center of the round plate <b>13</b>. The number of the openings <b>14</b> of the round plate <b>13</b> does not need to be four as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, but may be any suitable number as the occasion demands. Circular openings may be formed instead of the openings <b>14</b> having the shape of a circular arc on a circle in the round plate <b>13</b>.

The cylindrical skirt <b>9</b> of the cap <b>4</b> is provided with an internal thread <b>16</b> mating with the external thread <b>5</b> of the mouthpiece <b>6</b> of the spout <b>3</b>.

The cap <b>4</b> is screwed on the spout <b>3</b>, and a sealing sheet, not shown, formed by processing a laminated film produced by laminating a polyester film and an olefin resin film is attached to the top wall <b>8</b> of the cap <b>4</b> so as to cover the open end of the cap <b>4</b> to keep the liquid container <b>2</b> provided with the spouting structure <b>1</b> in an aseptic state before the liquid container <b>2</b> is used.

The liquid container <b>2</b> provided with the spouting structure <b>1</b> of the present invention is put in a corrugated fiberboard carton to form a bag-in-box container.

The operation of the spouting structure <b>1</b> of the present invention will be described. The sealing sheet is attached to the top wall <b>8</b> of the cap <b>4</b> so as to cover at least the upper open end of the top wall <b>8</b> before the liquid container <b>2</b> is used. As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the round plate <b>13</b> fitted in the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> of the cap <b>4</b> screwed on the spout <b>3</b> bonded to the liquid container <b>2</b> is in an upper part of the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b>. Therefore, the plugging part <b>15</b> of the round plate <b>13</b> is held outside the opening <b>12</b> to open the opening <b>12</b>. To fill a liquid product, such as a fruit beverage, into the liquid container <b>2</b>, the sealing sheet attached to the top wall <b>8</b> of the cap <b>4</b> is pierced or broken, a filling nozzle of a liquid pouring device, not shown, is joined to the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> of the cap <b>4</b>, and the liquid product is poured through the filling nozzle into the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b>. Then, the liquid product flows from the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> protruding from the top wall <b>8</b> of the cap <b>4</b> through the openings <b>14</b> of the round plate <b>13</b>, the opening <b>12</b> of the bottom wall <b>11</b> of the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b>, and the spout <b>3</b> into the liquid container <b>2</b>. After the liquid container <b>2</b> has been filled with a predetermined quantity of the liquid product, the filling nozzle is removed from the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> of the cap <b>4</b>, a pressing rod of a pressing device, not shown, is inserted in the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b> of the cap <b>4</b> to depress the round plate <b>13</b> such that the plugging part <b>15</b> of the round plate <b>13</b> is forced into the opening <b>12</b> formed in the bottom wall <b>11</b> of the cylindrical protrusion <b>10</b>. Consequently, the spout <b>3</b> of the liquid container <b>2</b> is closed completely by the cap <b>4</b>. Thus the liquid product, such as a beverage, can be filled into the liquid container provided with the spouting structure of the present invention and the liquid container can be sealed by a series of operations under an aseptic condition. The liquid product contained in the liquid container provided with the spouting structure of the present invention can be transported to a desired place in an aseptic state.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.